"In the the last two years we have completely neglected our community policing."

That was the amazingly frank confession by Havering's new chief inspector, Howard Back, when he spoke out about policing in the Harold area at the Harold Hill Community Area Forum on Tuesday evening.

He declared: "I cannot believe Harold Hill has had nothing but a sergeant with no staff, but that is what you have been getting. I want to redress that.

Saying Harold Hill's present sergeant, Mick Walford, was fast "becoming the sheriff of Harold Hill" he called on the public to work closely with him to devise a new approach to policing in the area.

And Chief Insp Back, who moved to his Havering post just four months ago after policing inner London, rocked his audience of residents and councillors by further admitting: "I thought it was hard in the inner city area. Havering is doubly hard.''

He also declared his intention to build up his force by "buying in'' officers from outside the borough after telling the meeting at St George's Church Hall, Chippenham Road, that 80 officers had left the job in Havering, including some from Harold Hill, in the last 18 months.

He said: "We have got to do something pretty damned quick. We are prepared to buy in other officers from elsewhere in London to do this job for us. You can hold me accountable if we fail."

"We intend to overspend and buy additional officers knowing that in the next few months officers elsewhere are due to leave us so we will balance our books. We are starting to put back community bobbies."

He admitted Havering had lost officers when police chiefs decided to redeploy police staff away from the borough - a relatively safe area and the second safest in London in terms of burglaries - to those of greater need.

He said the presence of new officers would also reduce the strain on the 999 system, which could then release staff for community policing.

Chief Insp Back also reassured the forum that he wanted stability in the Harold Hill force and he would not let promotions break up the local police team.

He said: "We are trying to get PCs to stay for two years."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.